Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for controlling the feed rate of banknotes, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for controlling or maintaining an actual banknote feed rate of a banknote discriminator at a target feed rate based on an interval between transferring banknotes (e.g., in the banknote discriminator).
Discussion of the Related Art
In general, a banknote discriminator determines whether a banknote introduced therein is authentic or fit for circulation. For example, the banknote discriminator determines whether a banknote is fit (e.g., new, worn, or damaged) or counterfeit. The term “banknote discriminator” as used herein covers any banknote processing apparatus capable of (i) counting and/or determining fitness of bills and (ii) detecting counterfeit bills.
Banknote discriminators are used in places dealing with banknotes in large quantity and/or high frequency, such as banks, Cash-In-Transit (CIT) companies, currency exchanges, post offices, casinos, large stores, and convenience stores. Banknote discriminators can be used to process paper sheets, banknotes, checks, promissory notes, securities, valuable documents, gift certificates, coupons, tickets, marks, identifications, and the like in the present disclosure.
A conventional banknote discriminator maintains the revolution rate of a motor at a predetermined target revolution rate using an encoder at a shaft of the motor (e.g., a feed motor or a transfer motor) in order to maintain a banknote feed rate (e.g., the rate at which banknotes are transferred along a transfer path from a feeder to a decider) at a predetermined target feed rate.
However, even though the revolution rate of the motor is maintained at the predetermined target revolution rate (e.g., 1,000 rpm), the banknote feed rate may not in fact be at the predetermined target feed rate, due to slippage or delay of the banknotes which are fed through the banknote discriminator.
The background art is disclosed in Korea Registered Patent No. 10-0555828 (entitled “Apparatus and Method for Position Controlling of Pick-Up Roller in Media Dispenser” and registered on Feb. 21, 2006).